BMW M5 Review

On paper this is the most capable M5 ever built. A 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8 works with an electric motor inside the gearbox for a combined 717 horsepower and 738 pound feet, there are roughly 25 miles of electric range for the commute, and the all-wheel drive system will still send everything rearward if you ask. In practice the mass changes the character completely. Two and a half tonnes is more than a large SUV, and while the adaptive dampers and rear steering disguise it impressively on a smooth road, you feel it under braking and you feel it in the way the car takes a moment to settle.

The engine is muffled by the hybrid layer and no longer sounds like an event. Depreciation on M5s has always been brutal and adding a complicated battery pack will not help the ten year car. Servicing is expensive and there is simply more to go wrong. Astonishing, and not much fun.